Suppressing Peripheral Nerve Degeneration With Aging - Apigenin

Aging has a direct effect on the nervous system, In the central nervous system, aging affects the brain with dementia and Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. Similarly,  the peripheral nervous system, which consists of nerves extending from the brain and central nervous system, undergoes degeneration.(1)  As such, in the elderly there is a decrease in sensory and motor nerve conduction and amplitude.(2) Extremity pain, tingling, numbness, loss of balance. swallowing problems, are all related to peripheral nerve degeneration In diabetics, there is increased rate of  peripheral nerve degeneration.

Structural changes to nerves occur with age, including decreases in amount of nerve fiber. While both myelinated  an unmyelinated  fibers are both affected, unmyelinated are most sensitive. Furthermore, loss of nerve conduction velocity is contributed by decrease axon diameter and reduced myelination of the nerve.

According to recent research, apigenin has been shown to protect the degeneration of peripheral nerves with age  Much of this protection is due to the reversal of chronic oxidative stress in the peripheral nerves.(3) Major areas of protection by Apigenin:

• AXONAL DEGENERATION - The nerve fiber which transmits electrical impulses away from the nerve cell body. Apigenin protects the axon against degeneration
• MYELIN FRAGMENTATION - Myelin surrounds the axon, and functions as an insulation to the axon as well as increases speed of electrical transmission, Myelin fragmentation is the degenerative breakdown of the myelin sheath. Apigenin inhibits degeneration of myelin.
• SCHWANN CELL PROLIFERATION. Is a myelinating glial cell, which  support the peripheral nervous system. Specifically, Schwann cells produce the myelin around the axon. Aged Schwann Cells impair the plasticity and the ability of the peripheral nerve system to regenerate. (4) Apigenin increases the number of Schwann cells.

 YELLOW LONGEVITY  (APIGENIN) 

REFERENCES:

(1) Painter M. Regeneration in the aging peripheral nervous system. Harvard University. 2014

(2) Bouche P. Neuropathy of the elderly. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2020 Sept 23.

(3)  Muwoong Kim. et al.  The Natural Plant Flavonoid Apigenin Is a Strong Antioxidant That Effectively Delays Peripheral Neurodegenerative Processes. Anal Sci Int. 2019 Sept.

(4) Painter M, et al. Diminished Schwann cell repair responses underlie age-associated impaired axonal regeneration. Neuron. 2014 Jul.